University of Richmond Athletics
University of Richmond
Quinnipiac
Spider Baseball Tops Quinnipiac At Home, 8-7
03/16/2006 | Baseball
March 16, 2006
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - Richmond recorded just eight hits, but made all of them count as the Spiders erased a three-run deficit in the fourth for an 8-7 win, Thursday afternoon at Pitt Field over Quinnipiac. Richmond, 5-12 on the season, helped extend the Bobcats' season-opening losing streak to seven-games. The Spiders now have the weekend off before hosting Old Dominion, March 21, at 2:30 p.m.
After fanning two of the three he faced in the first inning, Spider starter junior Rob Berzinskas gave up a bases loaded walk and a sac-fly in the second as Quinnipiac took a 2-0 lead. Berzinskas went back to work in the third and again fanned two of three, but a leadoff homer in the top half of the fourth gave the Bobcats a 3-0 lead.
The Spiders took the lead back for Berzinskas by scoring five runs in the fourth on just two hits. Quinnipiac starter Chris Gloor recorded four walks in his 4.1 innings of work, and they all came in the fourth inning. Senior Andrew Justice was responsible for the lone RBI in the inning, as Quinnipiac also committed two errors which led to two unearned runs in the inning.
Berzinskas got back on the mound in the fifth and stranded to leaving with the win on his shoulders. The Clinton, Conn., native finished the day by allowing three runs on four hits and three walks in 5.0 innings. He fanned seven on the day moving his career total to 202, passing Thomas Martin in eighth-place and becoming only the eighth pitcher in Spider history to reach the 200-strikeout mark.
The Spiders added to their total in the fifth on an RBI-double from freshman Cameron Brown and a run-scoring single from junior Anthony Sandstrom. Sandstrom, who made his first appearance in a game since Feb. 28 against VMI, finished the day 3-for-4 with an RBI. Junior Alex Wotring then helped Richmond tack on another in the sixth when he led off the inning with his first career homer to make the score 8-3.
Junior Ja Jones finished off his relief appearance in the eighth, shutting out the Bobcats through three innings of work on just one hit. The Brunswick, Ga., native walked one and fanned two, holding the Spiders' 8-3 lead into the top of the ninth.
Freshman Kyle Damm then came on to close out the victory but gave up consecutive leadoff singles and a walk. Senior Derek Duclos was then called on with the bases loaded and one out. The Exton, Pa., native allowed two two-run doubles but settled in to retire two-straight and strand the go-ahead run at second base. Duclos earned the save in the 8-7 win by giving up a run on two hits, while striking out one in 0.2 innings of work.
The Spiders now have the weekend off before returning to Pitt Field, Tuesday, March 21 to host the Old Dominion Monarchs. First pitch is slated for 2:30 p.m. Atlantic 10 Conference season then begins next weekend as the Spiders travel to A-10 newcomer Saint Louis, March 24-26.
Game Notes:
-- Richmond has now used 17 different batting orders in 17 games this season.
-- Junior Rob Berzinskas moved into eighth-place on the Spiders' all-time career strikeout list with 202.
-- Senior Anthony Sandstrom made his first appearance since Feb. 28, and finished the day 3-for-4 with an RBI.
-- Junior Alex Wotring hit the first homerun of his career in the sixth inning.
-- Sophomore Joe Mahoney finished the day 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. He now leads the team's regulars in hitting and runs scored.
